My family has been enjoying the rituals of the year ending. We bake familiar holiday treats, mark the season of long nights by lighting candles at meals, and sort the daily mail into piles of yearly letters from friends and piles of requests for end-of-year giving. Somehow, this sets me in a nostalgic mood, just in time for the writing of my final blog post as IPA President. 

Serving in this role was not something I initially pursued or even imagined for myself at this stage in my career. I think, in retrospect, that this comes in part from my own misunderstanding of what it would mean to serve as part of the Presidential Triad for three years. (In the first year, I served as President-Elect, learning the norms, policies and history of IPA. In the second year, I’ve served as President, taking the lead in meetings and signing important documents on IPA’s behalf. Next year I’ll serve as Past-President, bringing experience and context to our leadership team.) Perhaps the title was misleading – a “president” carries so much responsibility and brings expertise to leadership, right? I wasn’t up for that.  

In reality, however, working in any leadership role in IPA is simply taking a seat at a big table alongside a skilled executive director and many capable and diverse psychologists from around the state. We make difficult decisions together, and we do our best to work for the good of all psychologists working in Iowa, not just for IPA members. I discovered that IPA leaders often do the heavy lifting together, and that it was safe to ask for help. 

As I shift out of this role, I’d like to express many thanks to all the superb colleagues in our professional community who encouraged and supported me in the past year. If you are up for a new challenge, please consider joining a committee or work group, attend a social in your area, or buy a drink for a colleague whose work you admire. While such a commitment will likely also mean a few more emails to answer and a virtual meeting or two that wasn’t previously on your schedule, you’ll be well compensated for your service in relationship and adventure. I hope to see you in an IPA space soon!